How to Address Mail to Someone at MCF‑Stillwater (and Why an Out‑of‑State P.O. Box Appears in Examples)
Getting mail to someone at MCF‑Stillwater comes down to using the right identifiers. The out‑of‑state P.O. Box you may have spotted in Minnesota DOC examples can be confusing, so here's how to label your envelope correctly.
Every envelope needs the incarcerated person's full name, their DOC OID number, and the facility name. One detail that trips people up: the DOC requires you to spell out "Minnesota" in the address line. Don't abbreviate it as "MN" on the envelope, even though that feels more natural.
If you've looked at the DOC Friends and Family handbook, you may have noticed something odd: an example address that pairs a Minnesota facility name with an out-of-state P.O. Box (for instance, a sample for MCF‑St. Cloud showing a Phoenix, Maryland P.O. Box). That example is there to demonstrate the format the DOC wants you to follow. It's not suggesting the prison's street address is in another state. Think of it as a formatting model, not proof that every facility uses the same out-of-state mailing destination.
The address examples can also feel confusing because of how incoming mail actually gets handled. For people incarcerated at MCF‑Stillwater, the DOC says letters are opened and scanned before delivery. The incarcerated person receives a scanned copy, not the original piece of paper you put in the envelope.
Why the scanning system exists: Minnesota DOC says the third-party mail scanning process was implemented to reduce drug contraband entering facilities. They report it coincided with a significant drop in overdoses and Narcan interventions.
Practical Tips
- ✓ Use the incarcerated person’s full name.
- ✓ Include the DOC OID number.
- ✓ Write the facility name.
- ✓ Spell out “Minnesota” (do not abbreviate).
- ✓ If you are copying an address format from a DOC example, remember some examples show an out‑of‑state P.O. Box as a sample format. Do not assume that specific P.O. Box is the facility’s street address.
Avoid a common mistake: Don't treat the out-of-state P.O. Box shown in handbook examples as a guaranteed Stillwater mailing address. It's only there to illustrate how the DOC wants the name, OID, facility, and "Minnesota" formatted.
Find an Inmate at MCF-Stillwater, MN
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
